Knitting machine



April 2, 1957 c. H. wAlNwRlGHT ETAL 2,787,147

KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 20, 1955 April 2, 1957 c.H. wAxNwRlGHT ET AL 2,787,147

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 2o, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 2 April 2, 1957 c.H. wAlNwRlGHT ETAL KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 20.1955 vApril 2, 1957 c. H. wAlNwRlGHT ET AL 2,787,147

KNITTING MACHINE Filed sept. 20. 1955 5 sheets-sheet 4 `April 2, 1957 c.H. wAlNwRlGHT ET AL 2,787,147

KNITTING MACHINE Filed sept. 2Q, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 5 YARN UnitedStates Patent O KNITTING MACHINE Carlyle Herbert Wainwright and AlfredWoodward Kent,

Leicester, England, assignors to The Bentley Engineering CompanyLimited, Leicester, England Application September 20, 1955, Serial No.535,439

13 Claims. (Cl. 66.144)

The present invention relates to circular knitting machines landparticularly to means for increasing the patterning capabilities andproduction rate of such machines. While certain features of theinvention are applicable to machines of other types, the invention is ofa special value in hosiery machines having coaxial needle cylinders withdouble 'ended needles operable in either cylinder and transferable fromone cylinder to the other to produce either plain knit fabric or ribknit fabric with different rib patterns as desired.

In knitting hosiery, it is necessary to provide a number of successiveyarn changes. For example, it is desirable to use one yarn for `a drawthread, other yarn for the top portion of the stocking, yarn ofdifferent color or weight for the Ileg and additional yarns for the highsplice heel, toe, loopers edge etc. If it is desired to produce apattern, for example multicolor horizontal stripes, still additionalyarn changes are required. Moreover, it is desirable to have two feedingstations so that two courses can be knit each revolution of the machinethereby increasing the rate of production. It has accordingly beenproposed to provide a plurality of yarn feeding lingers which aremovable into and out of feeding positions. However, in circular knittingmachines, particularly :small diameter machines of the kind used forknitting seamless hosiery, the space available around the needlecylinder is severely limited. This restricts the number of yarn fingersthat can as a practical matter be provided on the machine and therebylimits the patterning capabilities of the machine.

It isan object of the presentinvention materially to increase therangeof patterns that can be produced by a circular knitting machine bymaking it possible to knit plain fabric and any Variety of plain orfancy rib and at the same time to feed any of a dozen or` more yarns.For example, it is possible in accordance with the invention to produce,in string work, socks having a welt, a 2 x 2 rib top, broad rib leg andinstep and plain knit heel, sole and toe with iive horizontal stripes ofdifferent colored yarn of one weight in the top and live horizontalstrips of different colored yarn of another weight in the leg or foot.Alternatively, ten stripes, each of a dierent color, can be provided inthe top, leg or foot. The rib fabric of the top and the leg can be madewith vertical ribs of any desired widths or with fancy rib such asLinks-Links fabric, the latter being produced by selectively shiftingneedles from one cylinder to the other during the knitting operation.Alternatively, the leg portion can be made of plain knit fabric.Moreover, the invention makes it possible not only to produce la widevariety of patterns but also to achieve a high rate of production byknitting substantial portions of the article by two feed knitting.

In accordance with the invention this versatility and high production isachieved by the combination and cooperation of coaxial needle cylinders,two circumferentially spaced yarn feeding stations each having aplurali-ty of fingers for feeding yarn to the needles of both Ycylinders, a high capacity knot tier for supplying different yarnssuccessively to a Finger at one of the feeding stations and coordinatedcontrols for feeding yarns of the same kind and at the same time .at theother feeding stations.

The invention further provides an improved high capacity knot tiercapable of handling a large number of yarns, for example l0, and havinga plurality of selectors which are operable in such manner as to feedany of the yarns or more than one yarn at a time as desired.

The objects and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood fnom the following description and claims in conjunction withthe accompanying dr-awings in which:

Fig. l is a front perspective View of a knitting machine in accordancewith the invention having coaxial needle cylinders, two yarn feedingstations, each having a plurality of movable yarn fingers, means forselectively moving the yarn lingers into and out of feeding position, aknot tier and associated selectors for snpplying any of a plurality ofyarns to one of the yarn feeding fingers and control mechanismcomprising a main pattern drum and three pattern chains of which two areshown in Fig. l.

Fig. 2 is a front perspective view supplementing Fig. l and showing alower portion of the machine including the third pattern chain andassociated mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View tof a knot tier and selector mechanism withportions broken away and certain parts omitted for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 4 is a further perspective View of the knot tier as seen from thesame direction but having other portions broken away to show certainparts omitted or obscured in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing one of the yarn feeding lingers andassociated selecting mechanism for tlre second feed.

In order to simplify and thereby clarify the drawings, certain parts ofthe machine which are in themselves well known are omitted and otherparts are shown schematically.

In the drawings there is Ishown by way of example, a small diametercircular knitting machine of the kind used for knitting hosiery. Themachine has a frame 1 and superposed coaxial needle cylinders 2 and 3which are rotatable continuously in one direction, yas in knitting thetop and leg portions of ia sock, and are also oscillatable, as whenknitting heel and toe pockets.. The needles used are double ended withhooks at opposite ends and are operable in either cylinder andtransferrable from one cylinder to the other during the operation of themachine. The needles are customarily operated by sliders having buttsengageable with cams provided in an upper cam box 4 and lower cam `box 5and controlled by suitable selecting mechanism. When all of the needlesare operating in the lower cylinder, plain knit fabric is produced. Whenselected needles or groups of needles are in .the upper cylinder andintervening need-les are in the lower cylinder, the lmachine piioducesrib knit fabric of any desired kind depending on the needledistribution. By selective transfer of needles from one cylinder to theother during the operation of the machine, it is possible to producefancy rib such as that known as Links-Links fabric. As machines of thistype are well known, the needle cylinders and associated needleselecting and operating mechanism are indicated schematically in Fig. l.

Yarn is fed to the needles in either or both needle cylinders as desiredat two feeding stations which are circumferentially spaced from oneanother and are referred -to |as the main or front feed and the backfeed. The

yarn feeds and needle operating means are co-related to 3 feed and knityarn fed at each station so that when both feeds are used, two coursesare knit in each revolution of the needle cylinders. At each yarnfeeding station, there is provided a plurality of yarn feeding lingerswhich are individually movable into and out of yarn feeding position bya suitable selecting mechanism. One of the yarn fingers and associatedselecting mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 5 and described more fullybelow, it being understood that the others are of like construction andoperate in like manner. A yarn change is effected by moving one lingersinto operating position and moving another one out, the number ofpossible changes being dependent on the number of lingers available.When, as in the present instance, there are two feeds and the diameterof the machine is small, the number of ngers that can be provided ateach feed is restricted, for example, to ve or six lingers. Thepatterning capabilities of the machine are thus limited.

In accordance with the invention, the patterning capacity of the machineis materially increased while still retaining the high rate ofproduction resulting from the use of ltwo feeds and other desirablecharacteristics of the machine such as its ability t-o produce a sock orother article having portions formed of plain knitting and integralportions formed of different types of rib knitting. This is achieved bythe use of a high capacity knot tier which selectively supplies any often yarns to yone of the yarn feeding fingers of the machine, .forexample a finger at the main feed, and by coordinating the control ofthe knot tier, the yarn lingers at the main and back feeds and the mainpattern drum, which controls the operation of the machine including themanipulation of the needles.

In addition to the main pattern drum 7, which is shown in Fig. 1 ashaving two portions 3 and 9, the control mechanism comprises threepattern chains 11, 12 and 13 (see also Fig. 2). The three chains operatein synchronism of one another and each makes one movement for eachrevolution of `the machine. Chain ll controls the racking of the mainpattern drums 8 and 9 and `also the selection of yarn lingers at themain feed. Chain 12 controls two selectors of the knot tier shown inFigs. 3 and 4. Chain 13 controls the selection of yarn fingers at theback feed.

Pattern chains 11 and 12 run on the same chain wheel 15 which is movedintermittently `once each revolution of the machine, for example bymechanism like that described below in conjunction with chain 13. Themain pattern drum 7 is racked by a pawl 16 which is continuallyoscillated by suitable mechanism and is adapted to engage the teeth of arack wheel 19 fixed to the pattern drum. The pawl 16 is normally heldout of engagement with the rack wheel 19 by means of a pin 21 whichprojects laterally from the pawl and is engaged by an arm of a lever 22which is pivoted coaxially with a shaft 23 and has another arm Z4 whichfollows the left hand track of the pattern chain 11. When the :arm 24 ofthe lever 22 rides up on a stud provided :at the left hand side of chain11, the pawl 16 is allowed to engage a tooth of the rack wheel 19thereby advancing the main pattern drum.

The sections 8 and 9 of the main pattern drum 7 are provided with aplurality of cams or cam tracks engageable by suitable cam 'followers bymeans of which the operation of the machine is automatically controlled.Thus for example, an arm 26 of a cam follower 27 is engageable with camsprovided on the drum 8 while a second yarm-23 of the cam follower isconnected by means of a link 29 and other suitable connections to a partthat is to be controlled. Similarly, a cam follower arm 3.1 lixed on theshaft 23 is adapted to engage cams on the drum 9. By means of aplurality of such followers, the drums `8 and 9 control the cycle `ofoperation of the machine including speed changes, the shifting ofmovable teams controlling the operation of the needles etc. Such controlin itself is well known and hence does not require further description.

Pattern chain 11 also controls the selection Iof yarn lingers iat themain feeding station. This is accomplished by means of an arm 33 whichfollows the yright hand track of chain 11 and is fixed -to a sleeve 34which is freely rotatable on the shaft 23. Another arm 35 fixed on thesleeve 34 is adjustably connected by a link 36 and bell crank 37 to a`selector bar 38. When the arm 33 rides up on a stud provided at theright hand side of chain 11, the selector bar 38 is moved in thedirection of the `arrow 39 a distance corresponding to the height of thestud. Any movement of the selector bar 38 from its idle position causesthe yarn changing mechanism at the main feed to operate and the positionto which the selecto-r bar is moved determines which of the yarn lingersis introduced. Thus the yarn linger selection at the main feed iscontrolled by the height of the lugs on the right hand side of chain 11and their position on the chain. As the `selecting mechanism is likethat described in more detail below in conjunction with the back feedfurther description here is believed unnecessary.

The pattern chain 12 controls the selection of yarn by a high capacityknot tier 40 (Figs. 3 and 4) which supplies yarn to one of the fingersat the main yarn feed. The yarn tier 4t) comprises yarn selectingmechanism 41 and knot tier mechanism 42 which latter is known per se,for example, from United States Patent 1,624,792, Iand is hence `shownschematically in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The selecting mechanism 41comprises a plurality of yarn fingers 44, ten such lingers being shownin Fig. 3. The fingers 44 are individuallyswingable about a shaft `4Ssupported by a stationary frame 46, the lower portions of the lingersbeing guided by a comb 47. When a finger 44 is swung downwardly tooperative position from the idle position shown in Fig. 3, a yarncarried by `an eye 48 at the lower end of the finger is brought into thepath of a scoop 50. The scoop, driven by ra quadrant bevel gear 51 andmeshing pinion 52, then makes a partial rotation, carrying the newlyselected yarn together with the running yarn into the tying bill 53 ofthe tying mechanism 42 which ties the two yarns together.

The yarn fingers 44 of `the knot tier selecting mechanism 41 arenormally held by individual springs 54 in the idle position shown.Selective movement of the lingers to operative position is effected byan actuator bar 55 and two selector arms 56 and 57. The actuator bar 55extends parallel to the shaft across the entire bank of lingers 44 andis continually rocked about a spindle 58 by ya suitable drivingmechanism which is illustrated in Fig. 4 as comprising an arm 59, link61 and segment 62. The selector arm 56 is fixed on a shaft 66 which isrotatably supported by the `stationary frame 46 and is alsolongitudinally slidablc. The selector armi57 is similarly fixed on atubular shaft 67 which is coaxial with the shaft 66 and likewiserotatable and slidable in a longitudinal direction. An enlarged headportion 68 is provided at the outer end of the selector arm 56 while asimilar head portion 69 is carried by a laterally offset portion 71 ofthe selector Iarm 57. `By longitudinal movement of the shaft 66, thehead 63 of the selector arm 56 can be brought into position between theactuator bar and any of the yarn fingers of the group `designated x inFig. 3. ln like manner the shaft 67 is movable longitudinally to bringthe head 69 of selector arm 57 into position between the .actuator bar55 and any of the yarn fingers of the group ldesignated y. Asillustrated in Fig. 3, `there are live lingers in each group. Theproportions and relation of the actuator bar, selector arms and fingersis such that when the head portion of a selector arm is positionedbetween the actuator bar and a yarn finger, oscillation of the actuatorbar depresses the selected yarn linger against the action of its springfrom idle to operative position. A tension spring 72 act-ing between thetwo shafts '66 and 67 normally holds both the selector arms in the idlepositions shown in Fig. 3 in which they do not engage any lof thelingers.

aymara?- Lateral movement ofthe selector arms 56 and 57 toractuate the'selected ones `of the yarn fingers 44 is controlled by the patternchain 12. A bell crank lever 75 which is coaxial with the shaft 23 (Fig.l) has an arm 76 which follows the left hand track of the chain 12. Anupwardly projecting arm 77 of the lever 75 is adjustably connected by alink 78, bell crank 79 and link 80 (see also Fig. 3) with a swingablearm 81 pivoted on the frame 46 at 82 and having a downturned end portionengageable with a clamp 83 fixed on shaft 66 which carries the selectorarm 56. When the arm 76 rides up on a lug provided at the left hand sideof chain 12, the link 80 is moved in the direction of the arrow S4,thereby sliding the shaft 66 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 3 andbringing the head of the selector arm 56 into alignment with one oranother of the yarn fingers 44 of the group x. By having the lugs oflive different heights, the selector can be caused to actuate whicheverlinger of this group is desired.

In like manner, a bell crank lever 85 (Fig. l) pivoted coaxially withthe lshaft 23 has an arm 86 which follows the right hand track of thechain 12. An upwardly projecting arm 87 of the bell crank 85 isadjustably connected by means of a link 88, bell crank S9 and link 90(see also Fig. 3) with a lever 91 which is pivoted on the frame 46 at 92and has a downturned end portion engaging a clamp 93 fixed on a shaft 67which carries the selector arm 57. When the follower arm 86 rides up ona lug provided at the right hand side of chain 12, the link 90 is movedin the direction of the arrow 94 thereby shifting the shaft 67 andselector arm 57 to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 to bring the head 59 ofthe lselector into alignment with one or another of the fingers of groupy depending on the height of the lug. Since the control of selectors 56and 57 is independent of one another, one being controlled by lugs onthe left hand side of chain 12 and the other by lugs `on the right handside, it is possible to select a finger of group x or a finger of groupy or alternatively a finger from each group simultaneously.

The yarn or yarns selected by the knot tier are indicated by pointers 96and 97 cooperating with an indicator plate 98. The pointer 96 is carriedby the shaft 66 while the pointer 97 is carried by the shaft 67. Whenthe selectors are in the idle positions shown in Fig. 3 both pointersare at zero. As successive yarn selections are made, the pointers 96 and97 are moved respectively in yopposite directions from the zero pointand indicate on the plate 98 the yarn or yarns selected.

The pattern chain 13 controls the selection of yarn fingers at the rearfeed. tion of the machine and can if desired run -on the same chainwheel `as chains 11 and 12. However, for convenience it has been shownrunning on a chain wheel 101 rotatable on a shaft 102 rotatablysupported by the frame. The chain wheel 1111 is driven from an eccentric103 on a running shaft 194 through a yoke 10S, bell crank 106 and link107 connected to an arm 108 fixed on shaft 102. A second arm 109 fixedto shaft 102 carries a pawl 11i) that engages a rack wheel 111 fixed tothe chain wheel 101. The movement of the yoke 105 by the eccentric 103is thus transmitted through the described linkage to move the chainwheel forward one step each revolution of the running shaft 104.

The right hand track of the chain 13 is followed by a lever 113pivotally supported by a shaft 114. The lever 113 is connected by a link115 (see also Fig. l), arm 116, shaft 23, arm 117, link 118, bell crank119 :and link 120 with a cam lever 121 pivotally supported at 122. A camportion 123carried by the lever 121 is provided with a stepped cam slot124 in which is engaged a pin on a longitudinally movable selector bar125 controlling the back feed mechanism. Longitudinal movement of thebar 125 is thus controlled by lugs of selected heights on chain 13.

Mechanism controlling the operation of the back feed is illustrated inFig. 5. A racking frame 126 is swingable about a shaft 127 and iscontinuously oscillated in timed relation with the machine by means of aconnecting rod 128 and a crank 129 xed on a running shaft of themachine. The racking frame 126 carries a shaft 130 which is parallel tothe shaft 127 and pivotally supports a plurality of pawls 131 of whichonly one is shown in full. The pawls 131 are thus oscillated bodilyabout the shaft 127 and are adapted to engage rack wheels 132 rotatablysupported on that shaft. However, when there is no chain stud under thelever 113 (Fig. 2) controlling the selecting bar 125, tails 133 on thepawls 131 engage the upper level 134 of the selector bar and the pawlsare thereby prevented from engaging their rack wheels.

Each rack wheel 132 has alternately high and low teeth.

It makes one move each revolu- A low tooth can be engaged only when thepawl tail drops to a low level 135 of the selector bar. A high tooth ofthe rack wheel can be engaged when the pawl tail rests on anintermediate level 136 of the selector bar. A rack wheel 132, a cam 138for operating a yarn finger, and a cam 139 for operating a trapper areattached together forming a unit and there is a separate such unit foreach yarn finger. As illustrated in Fig. 5, each yarn finger 140 ispivotally supported by a shaft 141 and -is swingable in one vdirectionyby a spring 142 and in the opposite direction by a lever 143 swingableon a shaft 144 and having a nose portion 14S engaging the cam 138. Tosimplify the drawings only one yarn finger and one control unit areshown, it being understood that there are a plurality of such lingers,for example, five, and a corresponding number of control units. There isalso a unit comprising a rack Wheel and cams for operating movable camsin the cam boxes 4 and 5 for introducing or withdrawing the back feed.All of these units are mounted side by side upon the shaft 127 butrotate on it independently as selected. rThe cams are arranged inrelation to the rack wheels so that a low tooth is engaged by the paWlto bring feed finger into action and a high tooth is engaged to take thelinger out `of action. When the selector bar 125 is moved longitudinallyby the control mechanism described above, so as to present a low levelof the selector lbar to a pawl, the corresponding yarn linger will beintroduced. lf the intermediate level of the selector -bar is presentedto all of the other pawls which control the yarn fingers, the particularfinger which happens to be operative at the time will be withdrawnbecause a high tooth of its rack wheel will be within reach of the pawl,while the others will be unaffected. lf the intermediate level of theselector bar is presented to all of the pawls the back feed will bewithdrawn from operation.

The selection of yarn fingers at the back feed is thus controlled by theheight and spacing of the lugs provided on chain 13, there being adifferent height corresponding to each of the yarn fingers at the backfeed. As chain 11 controlling the racking of the main pattern drum andthe selection of yarn iingers at the main feed, chain 12 controlling thetwo selectors of the knot tier and chain 13 controlling the selection ofyarn lingers at the back feed are all moved in predetermined timedrelationship of one another, precise coordination of the two feeds, theknot tier and the operation of the needles is assured. Thus for example,in knitting socks having horizontal stripes of different colors in thetop portion, and also in the foot, one of the ngers at the main feed isused .for feeding yarn from the knot tier while others are used forother yarns for body portions of the sock, heel, toe, high splice, etc.One of the lingers at the back feed is used for draw thread while othersare threaded with yarns corresponding to certain of the yarns suppliedto the knot tier. By operation of the selecting and tying mechanism asdescribed above, the knot tier supplies different yarns one afteranother to produce horizontal striping. If yarns of the same weight areto be used throughout the striped Y 7 t areas, it is possible to havetendifferent colors of stripes. Alternatively live of the ngers may besupplied with yarn of one weight to produce stripes in the top portionof a sock and the other five fingers supplied with yarns of a differentweight for striping in the leg or foot.

During the knitting of wider stripes, a back feed finger carrying thesame yarn as that currently supplied by the knot tier is introduced sothat the rate of production is doubled. Although there is a lag betweenthe time the knot tier makes a new selection and the time the newlyselected yarn reaches the yarn linger by which it is fed to the needles,the control mechanism herein described makes it possible to coordinatethe introduction of a new yarn by the knot tier and the introduction ofa corresponding yarn at the back feed for two feed knitting so thatprecise timing is achieved.

lt Will thus be seen that the present invention greatly increases thepatterning capabilities of a circular knitting machine while at the sametime providing a high rate of production. While the invention has beendescribed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing by wayof example a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is notlimited to the precise machine herein shown,

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a circular knitting machine, a main yarn feeding station, a secondyarn feeding station, a plurality of yarn lingers at each of saidstations, said fingers being movable into and out of feeding position,selecting means for each of said stations to move selected fingers intofeeding position, a knot tier and associated selector for supplying anyof a plurality of yarns to at least one of said lingers, means forsupplying yarn to the remaining lingers, a plu-- rality of patternchains, sensing means actuated by said chains and connected to saidselector of the knot tier and to the selecting means for said stationsto detcrn'tine which yarn is supplied by the knot tier and which lingersare in feeding position .and means for moving all of said chains intimed relation with one another thereby coordinating the selection ofyarns to produce a predetermined pattern.

2. ln a circular knittinnr machine, a main yarn feeding station, asecond yarn feeding station, circumferentially spaced from said mainstation, a plurality of yarn iin gers at each of said stations, saidngers being movable into and out of feeding position, selecting meansfor each of said stations to move selected fingers into feedingposition, a knot tier and associated selector for supplying any of aplurality of yarns to at least one of said lingers, means for supplyingyarn to the remaining lingers, a main pattern drum for controlling theoperation of the machine, means for racking said drum, a plurality ofpattern chains, sensing means actuated by said chains and operativelyconnected to said racking means, said selec tor and Said selecting tocontrol the racking of said main pattern drum, the selection of yarn bysaid knot tier and the positions of said lingers, and means for movingsaid chains in timed relation with one another, thereby coordinating theoperation of said main pattern drum and the selection of yarns toproduce a predetermined pattern.

3. A circular knitting machine according to claim 2, in which one ofsaid lchains controls the racking of said main pattern drum and theselection of fingers at the main feeding station, a second chaincontrols the selection of yarn by said knot tier and a third chaincontrols the selection of lingers at said second feeding station.

4. in a circular knitting machine, a main yarn feeding station, a secondyarn feeding station circumferentially spaced from said main station, aplurality of yarn lingers at each of said stations, said lingers beingmovable into and out of feeding position, selecting means for each ofsaid stations to move selected lingers into feeding position, a knottier for supplying any of a plurality of yarns to at CTA least one of4said lingers, said knot tier having a plurality of movable yarn holdingelements, a pair of selectors, one of said selectors acting on certainof said elements and the other of said selectors acting on other of saidelements to move said elements into position for their respective yarnsto be taken by said knot tier and fed to one of said fingers, a mainpattern drum for controlling the operation of the machine including theknitting of yarns fed by said fingers, means for racking said drum, aplurality of pattern chains, sensing means actuated by said chains andconnected to said racking means, said selectors and said selecting meansto control the racking of said main pattern drum, the selection of yarnby said knot tier and the positions of said lingers and means for movingsaid chains in timed relation with one another, thereby coordinatingVthe operation of said main pattern drum and the selection of yarns toproduce a predetermined pattern.

5. A circular A(hitting machine according to claim 4, in which both ofsaid selectors of the knot tier are controlled by one of said chains,said chain having a series of right hand lugs acting on one of saidsensing means to control one of said selectors, and a series of lefthand lugs acting on another of said sensing means to control the otherof said selectors.

6. ln a circular knitting machine, a plurality of yarn feeding fingers,a knot tier for supplying any of a plurality of yarns to one of saidlingers, said knot tier having a plurality of movable yarn holdingelements, a pair of selectors, one of said selectors acting on certainof said elements and the other of said selectors acting on other of saidelements to move said elements into position for their respective yarnsto be taken by said knot tier and fed to said finger, a pattern chainhaving a series of left hand lugs ofdiflerent heights, and a series ofright hand lugs ol different heights, sensing in position, to beactuated by said left hand lugs and operatively connected to one of saidselectors, and sensing means, in position to be actuated by said righthand lugs and operatively connected to the other of said selectors tomove said selectors to positions to select predetermined ones of saidyarn holding elements depending on the height of said lugs, and meansfor moving said chain in timed relation with the operation of saidmachine.

7. ln a circular knitting machine, a yarn feed, a knot tier forsupplying rainy of a plurality of yarns to said yarn feed, said knottier having tying mechanism, `a plurality of movable yarn lingerscomprising two groups, cyclically operating means for actuating saidlingers, a pair of seilectors, one. of said selectors being movable intoposition between said actuating means and yarn lingers of one of saidgroups to :actuate a selected one of said fingers and the other of saidselectors being movable into position between said actuating means andyarn lingers of the other of `said groups to actuar-e selected ones ofsaid latter fingers, a pattern chain having two laterally spaced seriesof lugs of different heights, means in position to be actuated by lugsof one of said series and operatively connected to one of said selectorsto move said selector to positions to select predetermined ones of saidfingers depending on the height or said lugs, lmcans in position to beactuated by lugs of the other of said series and operatively connectedto the other of said selectors to move said selector to positions toselect predetermined ones of `said tin-gers depending on the height ofsaid lugs, means for carrying yarn from selected fingers to said tyingmechanism, and means for moving said chain in timed relation with theoperation of said machine.

8. ln a circular knitting machine, a yarn feed, a knot tier forsupplying `any of a plurality of yarns to said yarn heed, said knot tiercomprising tying meolanism, a plurality ot' movable yarn fingerscomprising two groups, cyclically operating means for iactuating 4Saidlingers, a plurality of selectors, oie of said selectors being moyablleinto selected positions between said actuating means 4and yarn iin-gersof one of said groups, and another of said selectors being movable intoselected position between -said actuating means and yarn fingers of saidother group to actuate a selected one of said fingers upon operation ofsaid actuating means, and means for moving said selectors t-o selectedpositions in timed relation with the operation of said machine.

9. In a circular knitting machine, a yarn feed, a knot tier forsupplying any of a plurality of yarns to said yarn feed, said knot tiercomprising tying means, scoop means for carrying yarn to said tyingmeans, `a plurality of yarn lingers s'wingable about a common axisbetween an inoperative position and an operative position in which yarnheld by said fingers is caught by said scoop means and carried to saidtying means, a plurality of selectors for selectively swinging saidfingers between inoperative and operative position, each of saidselectors comprising an arm swim-gable about an axis parallel to saidfinger axis and movable laxially in positions to engage selected ones ofsaid fingers, one of said arms being axially movable through `apredetermined range to engage selectively lingers of one group andanother of said selectors being axially movable through another range toengage selectively -ngers of another group, means for moving saidselectors axially to selected positions in timed relation with theoperation of said machine, land means for swinging said |arms to actuatesaid fingers after they faire moved to selected positions.

l0. Mechanism according to claim 9, in which said arms )are carried bycoaxial shafts mounted for rotational and axiall movement.

11. Mechanism according to claim in which each of said shafts carriesindicating means cooperating with a common scale to indicate which yarnhas been selected.

12. A circular knitting machine comprising coaxial rotatable needlecylinders, two circumterentially spaced yarn feeding stations, aplurality of yarn fingers at each of said stations for feeding yarn toneedles in both of said cylinders, said fingers 'being movable into andout of feeding position, selecting means for leach of said stations tomove selected fingers into feeding position, a knot tier for supplyingany of a plurality of yarns to at least one of said fingers, said knottier having a plurality of yarn 'holding elements, a plurality ofselectors, one of said selectors acting on certain of said elements, andanother of said selectors acting on other of said elements to move saidelements into position for their respective yarns to be taken by saidknot tier and fed to one of said fingers, and pattern means controllingthe operation of said machine including said selecting means and saidselectors to produce rib knit articles each having more than fivecircumferential stripes knit of different yarns.

13. A circular knitting machine accordi-ng to claim 12 Iin which saidpattern means comprises a main pattern duim, means for racking saiddrum, `a plurality of pattern chains, sensing means actuated by saidchains and operatively 'connected to said racking means, said selectorsand said selecting means to control the racking of said main patterndrum, the selection of yarn by said knot tier and the positions of saidfingers and means for moving said chains in timed relation with oneanother.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,698,533 Larkin lan. 4, 1955 2,720,092 Oberholtzer Oct. 11, 1955FOREIGN PATENTS 408,769 Great Brit-ain Apr. 19, 1934

